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The Haryana government has ordered a detailed inquiry into the assets and income of the bidder who failed to pay for India’s costliest registration number.
The Haryana government has initiated an investigation into the assets and financial capacity of Sudhir Kumar, the bidder who offered ₹1.17 crore for the registration number ‘HR88B8888’, the most expensive number plate ever auctioned in India, but failed to complete the payment. The direction comes from the Transport Department after the high-value auction did not meet its final requirement.
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According to the department, VIP number plates are allotted through an online auction where multiple bidders compete for highly sought-after digit combinations. The contest for ‘8888’ saw strong interest, and Sudhir Kumar placed the highest bid. However, after the result was announced, only the security deposit of ₹11,000 was forfeited as the bidder did not pay the remaining amount. The government is now examining whether he had the net worth required for such bidding.
The inquiry will also be escalated to the Income Tax Department to verify income sources and assets. Officials emphasised that auctions must be taken seriously to avoid artificial inflation of bids that disrupts the process. The plate will be placed back for reauction.
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The number grabbed national attention on November 26 for becoming India’s costliest registration plate. With a base price of ₹50,000 and 45 applicants competing, the bidding closed at an unprecedented ₹1.17 crore. The deadline for payment was December 1, which was missed. Sudhir Kumar later claimed he attempted to pay twice but faced technical issues, adding that family concerns over spending such an amount influenced the delay.
Haryana conducts weekly online auctions for fancy numbers through its official portal, allowing bidders to apply between Friday evening and Monday morning, with results declared midweek. The ‘HR88B8888’ plate stands out due to its unique sequence: ‘HR’ marks Haryana, ‘88’ indicates the RTO, ‘B’ denotes series, and ‘8888’ forms the distinctive repeated digit pattern that drives its premium appeal.
